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There is never a better time to start considering your
nutrition intake and the effects it may have on your health, so you better
start now. Diabetes is a disease that is caused by insulin imbalance. Insulin
is our glucose regulator in our body and is produced by the pancreas. When
there is extra sugar in our blood, insulin helps cells within your body to
absorb extra glucose from blood.

Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease and the cause of hyperglycemia (an
abnormally high blood glucose level in the blood) in that the body cannot
produce insulin. Someone who has type 1 diabetes would have to have injections
of insulin to regulate their blood sugar.

Type 2 diabetes is where the body produces enough insulin, but the problem
is with the insulin receptor – it can be blocked due to obesity, especially in
the abdominal area, which is a result of consuming high fat and high sugar
foods and a sedentary lifestyle.

According to her, nutrition education is a must for people
who have been diagnosed with diabetes as insulin dosage and carbohydrate
quantity needs to be balanced – which is sometimes referred to as ‘Carbohydrate
Count’. “As nutritionists, we teach someone who has been diagnosed with
diabetes how to calculate carbohydrates in food and how to match with insulin
dosage and type. Around six out of every 10 of my clients has diabetes or
pre-diabetes and around 40% of them are aged 14 -30,” says Shahine.

Foods to avoid

Shahine stresses the importance of types of carbohydrates
when looking at nutrition and diabetes: “When looking at foods to avoid for
people who have diabetes, it is important to look at the types and quantity of
carbohydrates. This is where education is essential as carbohydrates are found
in different foods such as grains, vegetables, fruit, dairy, legumes and nuts,
just to name a few.”

15g of the carbohydrate is the equivalent of one of the following:

1 slice of bread

30 g of Pita Bread or
Baguette

1/3 cup of cooked
rice

160 g of baked potato

½ cup of cooked pasta

½ cup of cooked oats

1 cup of popcorn

67g of cooked quinoa

1 rice cake (11g)

½ cup of legumes

Frequency and timing of carbohydrates:

“The most important thing with carbohydrates is the quantity
and timing. Rather than eating a large amount of carbohydrates in one sitting
and causing a spike in blood glucose, it is much better to divide carbohydrates
into small frequent meals to allow the body to take its time to absorb
carbohydrates and maintain blood sugar.”

Quality of carbohydrates:

The quality of carbohydrates you are consuming, explains
Shahine, is very important – they must be high in fiber, and complex
carbohydrates. The Glycemic Index (GI) is also an indicator that will help you
identify the quality of the carbohydrates you are consuming. “The Glycemic
Index looks at how much certain types of carbohydrates raise the blood glucose
levels, the lower the Glycemic Index, the better. Low GI means the
carbohydrates you’re consuming will be digested
and absorbed slowly, which will result in a slower rise in insulin and blood
sugar.”

What about supplements?

“Chromium is one of the minerals that helps to regulate
blood sugar levels. Studies have shown that chromium helps with the
pre-diabetes stage and controls sugar cravings. Recent studies have also shown
that vitamin D supplements can help the pancreas control the amount of insulin
that is released.”